There are increasing uses of cards for many purposes in modern society. Credit cards, identification cards, debit cards, and the like are commonly used in a wide variety of industries and areas of commerce. It is desirable to be able to produce such cards in a simple and inexpensive manner, and to package the cards so that they have confidentiality until delivered to the ultimate user, yet are easy to handle and to open by the ultimate user. Increasing need has been found in this regard in the production of telephone debit cards, which entitle the purchaser to a certain number of units (typically in minutes) of long distance communication.
According to the present invention a card package assembly, and a method of manufacture thereof, are provided which do allow the simple and inexpensive production of cards for a wide variety of purposes (including telephone debit cards), which cards are as durable as are necessary to perform their intended function, but are inexpensive. The package produced according to the invention has a high degree of confidentiality, yet is quickly and easily opened and in a manner that requires destruction so that it can be readily observed if the package has been tampered with.
According to one aspect of the present invention a card package assembly is provided. The assembly comprises the following elements: A sheet of card stock material having first and second end edges; first and second faces; and first, second, and third panels, the first and second panels having parallel first and second side edges spaced from each other a first distance, and the third panel having third and fourth side edges spaced from each other a second distance, less than the first distance. A card portion of the third panel having first and second faces, each of the faces coated with plastic and having indicia imaged thereon. Readily detachable connection means connecting the card portion to other portions of the sheet of card stock, the card portion containing a card. First and second adhesive patterns disposed on at least one of the first and second panels adjacent the first and second side edges thereof and spaced from each other a third distance, greater than the second distance. An opening-facilitating tear strip formed in the first panel at or near the first end edge. And the first and second panels folded with respect to the third panel so that the card portion is sandwiched between the first and second panels and held in that position by the first and second adhesive patterns holding the first and second panels together exteriorly of the card portion.
The tear strip when at the first end edge, or even if merely adjacent the end edge, may further comprise a pattern of plastic coating on the second face thereof to reinforce the strip. A third adhesive pattern may be provided on the first face of the third panel for cooperating with the second face of the tear strip to assist in holding the card portion sandwiched between the first and second panels, the plastic coating of the tear strip facilitating release of the third adhesive pattern from the tear strip. Preferably a bang tail portion is also provided, forming a fourth panel releasably connected to the third panel (as by a perforation or other line of weakness). The bang tail has side edges spaced from each other substantially the second distance, and typically includes coupon indicia imaged on its first face.
The readily detachable connection means may comprise a die cut, or may comprise lines of weakness, such as a line of weakness between the card portion and another portion of the third panel, and between the card portion and the bang tail.
The tear strip may be provided adjacent the first end edge, and an adhesive strip provided between the tear strip and the first end edge. The tear strip is then formed in a portion of the first panel folded over the second panel so that the adhesive strip attaches the first panel second face to the second panel first face. Also, the package assembly may comprise first and second lines of weakness formed in the first panel parallel to the side edges and spaced from each other a distance approximately equal to the third distance, and the panels may be separated by fold lines. Colored indicia may be imaged on the first and second panel first faces, including what type of card is enclosed (e.g. a representation of a telephone debit card, such as shown in application Serial No. 08/155,759 filed Nov. 23, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,832). Where the card comprises a telephone debit card, it has telephone debit card indicia imaged on the first and second faces thereof.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of making a card package assembly from a web of card stock having first and second panel side edges spaced from each other a first distance, and first and second faces, is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Imaging the web first and second faces with indicia. (b) Spot coating the web first and second faces with plastic at spaced locations having a spacing approximately equal to the length of a card package form ultimately to be separated from the web. (c) Die cutting marginal portions from the web at the spot coated plastic locations so that at the spot coated plastic portions the web first and second edges are spaced from each other a second distance, less than the first distance. (d) Forming a card from or out of each of the spot coated plastic locations. (e) Providing adhesive patterns on the second face of the web adjacent the first and second side edges and spaced from each other a third distance greater than the second distance. (f) Separating the web into individual card package forms. (g) Folding each card package form to sandwich the card between other portions thereof so that the card is not visible and so that the adhesive patterns are positioned to hold the form together. And (h) activating the adhesive to form a final card package assembly. The cards can be produced from a web one card wide, two cards wide, or even more than two cards wide; that is, steps (a) through (f) may be practiced to produce card package assemblies side by side from the web.
There may also be the further step, before step (g), of forming a tear strip for each card package formed adjacent a first end edge thereof remote from the card. There may also be the step of coating the tear strip with a strip of plastic to reinforce it, and of providing another adhesive pattern connecting portions of the form together at or adjacent the tear strip. The step of providing another adhesive pattern is typically practiced to provide the pattern on the second face of the card stock between the tear strip and the first end edge thereof, and most desirably there is still the further step of forming a bang tail connected to the card by a line of weakness (and step (a) is practiced to image coupon indicia on the first face of the bang tail).
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective card package assembly (and method of manufacture thereof) which provides security and confidentiality of the card yet allows ready access thereto. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of a detailed description of the invention and of the appended claims.